Paper stock flow valve regulating mechanism



Jan. 18, 1944.

J. w. vEDDER ErAL PAPER STOCK FLOW VALVE REGULATING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 2o, 1942 2 sheets-sheet 1 A rf John Warren Vedder vergtt W Clem www Jan. 18,1944.` J. w. VEDDER mL 2,339,730 ,l

PAPER STOCK FLOW VALVE REGULATING MECHANISM 2 sheets-sheet 2 .Filed gan. 2o, 1942 m, mm e s 1I- vec., nW mm a r W@ n ,m .Tu

Patented 18, 1944 PAPER. strooi: FLOW VALVE REGULAmG MEcsM John Warren Vedder, Worcester, and Everett W. Clem, Shrewsbury, Mass., assignors to Rice Barton Corporation, Worcester, Mass., a corporationA of Massachusetts Application January 20, 1942, Serial No. 427,472

Claims.

This invention relates to a stock flow regulating mechanism for a paper making machine and more particularly to regulatable valve mechanism which may be employed both to regulate the quantity, manner and uniformity of stock flow and to provide a local control which can serve to further regulate the thickness of the paper web that is being formed.

as a web, is'provided with an elongated narrowv entrance orice having a control valve arrangedr to shut off or to regulate the supply of stock owing ,therethrough In order to insure a local control, either the valve -or the valve seat or both, is made exible and mechanism is proi vided for flexing one or both of these parts lo- The two types of paper making machines to i which this invention applies are the Fourdrinier machine, having the pulp stock flowing on to a moving endless wire fabric, and the cylinder mold, havingA a rotatable cylinder provided with a peripheral wire fabric surface on which the paper web is formed. VThe -owV of stock to each machine may be over a weir or lateral vertical wall, and in the case of the cylinder mold it may passrupwardly4 from a throat located beneath the cylinder. The paper pulp` should be fed toward the moving wire mesh under carefully controlled conditions to promote the for mation of a paper web of uniform thickness and required characteristics. It is particularly important that the stock flow smoothly and uniformly throughout the length of the cylinder or the width of the Fourdrinier wire. The velocity of flow. of the stock and the shape and location of the inletrpipe may be such as to cause localized conditions resultingin the web being laid on the wire in a non-uniform thicknessv or with localized thicker or thinner portions. 'It is, therefore, desirable to provide a valve mechanism or a ow regulating device which may be employed both to control the total amount of stock and the uniformity of delivery rof stock passing to the wire and to control the iiow of the stock locally, so that if the stock tends to build up too thickly at any given location, the valve mechanism may be regulated to vary or control such conditions.

The primary object of this invention is, therefore, to overcome such diiliculties and provide a stock flow regulating mechanism for paper making machines which will permit a localized control of the stock flow as well as a regulation of the method and manner of stock flow and the quantity thereof that flows to the machine in accordance with the requirements of a given paper making operation. Further objects will be apparent in the following disclosure.

In accordance with this invention, we have provided a cylinder mold or Fourdrinier paper making machine in which the entrance chamber or throat', through which the stock flows to the screen or wire surface on which it is to be laid y cally at any desired location. The :dexible valve may be made of a resilient body, such as a solid and exible rubber bar or a hollow rubber tube adapted to be expandedby suitable means to,

d control the size of the opening regulated thereby.

`the stock flowing from the entrance over the Referring to the drawing which illustrates several embodiments of this invention: Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional de tail of a part of a cylinder mold machine' having a flexible valve controlling'the stock-inlet;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, vertical elevation, A l partly broken away and in section, of the construction `of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional detail showing a. flexible valve seat employed with a stationary valve for controlling the inlet,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional detail of one end of the floatingvalve of Fig. 3 and its spring support;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, vertical elevation, partly broken away, of a modined form having the valve comprising both an adjustable slice plate and an inatable flexible tube arranged to control the inlet;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional detail of the coni mold III having a peripheral wire screen II suitv ably mounted on supporting rings I2 carried on radially arrangedarms I3 projecting outwardly from'a central supporting hub which is rotatably mounted and driven in any suitable way. The vat within which the cylinder rotates comprises end walls I5 and a semi-cylindrical lateral wall I6 spaced from the cylinder at the sides and below the same. The stock ows to the vat through an inlet chamber formed in partby the vertical wall I8 winch constitutes the upper portion of the arcuate wall I6. The end walls I5 and a wall I9 parallel with the wail I8 form therewith a rectangular chamber which extends preferably the length of the cylinder I0 so that Weir 20 of the wall I8 pass directly in a substantially direct line ow to the cylinder throughout its length. The waste water that passes through the wire mesh of the cylinder into the interior thereof escapes through a suitable opening 2| into the end compartment 22 and then passes from the machine. In order that the -stock may be controlledat its entrance to the machine, an inlet pipe 24 may be arranged to introduce the stock into the entrance chamber, and sloping walls 25 (Fig. 2) serve to form a hopper shaped lower chamber 26 which is separated from the upper chamber 21 by the valve 30.

In accordance with this phase of the invention, the valve may be a long bar 30 made of suitable flexible material, such as a medium hard vulcanized rubber or a flexible synthetic resin substitute, which may be bent locally as required. This bar or valve is adapted to be vertically moved relative to a laterally extending valve seat formed by the flanges or plates 32 which project inwardly and laterally from the vertical walls I8 and I9. These valve seat plates 32 may be made of suitable material, such as compressed metal fibre, resin or wood, and they are rigidly positioned.

They may be provided with upwardly flaring walls 33. to provide asmooth flow of stock above the valve, and the walls below the valve may also Vbe suitably shaped for the same purpose. Each is preferably provided with a sloping lower edge surface 34 which has been preshaped so that the valve 30 will seat fully thereagainst and shut oi all flow of liquid when the valve is seated. The flexible elongated valve bar 30 is preferably shaped as'a cylinder or otherwise provided with upwardly converging surface portions which may make a tight fit with the seat plates, so that the valve parts may shut off the stock now.

In order that the valve bar may be flexed locally, it is mounted on a series of vertically -ad justable rods 35 secured to the valve bar at spaced intervals. These adjustment rods 35 pass freely through supporting bars 36 mounted on the vat. They are provided with screw threads at their upper ends which carry the hand wheel 31 and a check wheel 38 threaded thereon. By rotating any of the wheels 31 and 38, which are supported by the bars 36, the associated push and pull rod 35 is suitably adjusted vertically and thereby moves and flexes the elongated valve bar 3U at that point and provides a localized differential flow of stock at the adjusted points, and so makes it possible to vary the thickness and lay of the web wherever desired.

All of the push and pull rods 35 may be adjusted simultaneously and to the same extent, so that the valve bar may be brought into a seating engagement with the faces 331 of the flange plates 32 and thereby ,shut olf all of the flow of stock. Likewise, if the valve 30 is lowered to the same extent throughout its entire length, then an opening of uniform width is provided between the valve and the seat. This is accomplished by means of the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and comprises a set of levers 4B keyed to a common shaft 4I which is suitably mounted in bearings on the vat Walls. l The shaft is rotated' sired. Whatever may be the adjustments locally of the push and pull rods 35, yet the bar may be moved to the same extent throughout'its length by the worm drive mechanism which causes-simultaneous operation of all of the rocking arms 40. This permits a quick adjustment of the rate of flow of stock through the valve opening. Y

Standard or suitable cylinder vat or Fourdrinier flow box construction may be provided with this valve, and the various constructional features thereof may be used herewith. For example. we may use a cylinder mold vat construction having an under feed entrance of the type illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive and as fully described and claimed w in the copending application of Lowe, Vedder 8; Adams Serial No. 327,856 filed on April 4, 1940; and suitable constructions may be employed for regulating the position of any part or al1 of the valve bar from outside of the vat. Likewise, the valve' and associated entrance chambers may be arranged to lead to a Fourdrinier flow box, as will be readily understood.

The construction in Flg.;3 showsV a rigid valve bar 48 made of metal, wood, fibre, resin. rubber or any other suitable material which may be held substantially stationary, while the valve 'seats are arranged to move relative thereto. '-The bar may be streamlined as shown and suitably mounted on the end walls I5 of the vat, or on supporting rods which are stationary or ar-Y ranged to be moved as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In order to eect a localized adjustment of the stock flow, one or both of the valve seats in this construction is a plate 49 made of a flexible material, suchas a hard rubber or resin, or it may be made of a thin fexible metal. such as monelmetal or stainless steel. valve plates 4S is suitably mounted on the vertical walls I8 ,and I9 of the entrance chamber. and each may be yseparately adjusted by means of the push and pull rods 50 which may be mounted as are the rods of Figs.- l and 2.

Each of the plates 4S may be adjusted through equal distances by means of the construction above described with 'reference to Figs. 1 and 2. A double adjustment may be e'ected by employing duplicate sets of rock arms and worm drive operating mechanisms. The lower end of each rod 5i) has an enlarged floating head suitably mounted within a cup shaped housing 52 onsthe flexible valve seat 49. The hand wheels 31 and 38threaded on each rod 5I) may be adjusted to lift the rod vertically independently of alljother rods. This provides for local regulation of the valve seats at each side of the valve and wherever desired. In order to adjust all of the rods 5t simultaneously and to the same extent for either or both valve seats, two sets of rock arms 40 are provided, and each set of arms is lifted or lowered by the two hand operated worm drive mechanisms 53 above described. Each of the operating mechanisms may be turned simultaneously to the same extent and the valve plates 49 are thus moved equally throughout their lengths. In this construction ,just the same Aasin Figs. 1 and 2. the valve 4I) is-a long bar and the valve seat is an elongated slot which preferably extends substantially the length of the vat, although the valve and the valve slotmay be made shorter isf desired. It the valve bar adjustment of Fig. 1

Each of these is also used, then either the seats or the bar or whole which flows to the wire. Each of the valve bars may, if desired, be mounted as indicated in Fig. 4 so that it will float relative to the exible valve seats 49 and thus permit a fuller seating f of the parts. That is, the end of the valve bar 48 has a reduced portion 55 riding within a vertical slideway 56 suitably mounted on the side wall of the flow chamber. The end of the bar is urged upwardly by a spring 51 against a stop 58 which is positioned to permit full closure of the valve opening. This permits the valve bar to float and make a better contact with the locally adjusted ilexible valve seats.

In the construction of Figs. 5 and 6, the valve is ahollow inatable tube 60, such as iiexible rubberof the type used for automobile inner tubes, but thick walled and strong to control the stock flow. Any suitable material may be employed. The tube is adapted to be expanded by any suitable mechanical device and preferably by blowing it up by means of gas or water or other fluid pressure so as to force it against a valve seat and thus close off the valve passage. In this construction, the tube 88 of soft rubber has its ends closed and thus forms a container for iluid which may be introduced thereto by means of the pipe 62 having a series of holes for the purpose. An

' y outside pipe 84 connects the inner pipe 62 with any suitable source of uid pressure which may be regulated by a valve mechanism as required, such as an ordinary stopcock 65. The rubber tube is preferably supported in a trough shaped wooden or metal member 88 and to which thea tube is preferably vulcanized or otherwise fas-'- tened at its lower middle portionso as to hold the tube properly in position. This trough 88 is suitably secured and supported on the end walls of the vat.

The valveseat may be formed of two plates 10 which are made of ilexible material, such as resin or rubber or any other substance that can be iiexed to provide for local control of the opening of the valve. 'I'hese slide plates or slice bars 10 are suitably mounted for adjustment toward and from the exible rubber valve tube 80 as shown particularly 1n Fig. s. A suitable mounting therefor comprises two spaced supporting anges 1| and 12 suitably mounted on the casing wall and between which the plate slides. A set of push and pull rods 14 adjustable through the casing wall are secured to the edge of the plate 10 at spaced intervals. These have hand wheels or ad justment nuts 15 on their outer ends so arranged that by turning these heads the bar 10 maybe exed lengthwise or moved more or less parallel with itself and towards the valve tube 80. The valve 'seat plates 18 are preferably beveled or otherwise shaped on their inner ends to fit snugly against the flexibletube. Y

In the construction of Figs. 5 and 6, the elongated valve is located directly beneath the cylinder mold and\the walls 13 of the .bottom of the vat diverge upwardly to positions on both sides of the mold I0 so that the flow of the stock past the valve is distributed quite evenly to the entire length of the rotating cylinder Il. The inlet chamber 18 beneath the valve may be suitably connected to a supply pipe fori introducing the stock. This type of valve construction is particularly useful for that type of cylinder vat construction because of the -ease of local regulation of the valve seat slides or slice bars 10- as well as the ability to inate the tube from an outside air or water pressure source and quickly close ofi the flow of stock as desired. The ow ofstock may also be controlled by infiatng the tube 60 only partly so that it does not contact with the valve seat plates and the stock may escape past .its surface at a regulated rate. The vat and mold construction may be made .according to any suitable design or as above described.

The modification of Figs. '1 and 8 omits the slide plates, and the valve is so arranged beneath the cylinder mold that the stock flow may be regulated or entirely closed off merely by inflating or deating the tube 80. This tube may be shaped and made the same as tube 88. A perforated pipe 8l is mounted within the tube and connects to an outer pipe 82 with a suitable source of fluid supply which is regulated by a suitable valve 83. The rubber tube 80 may be mounted onva supporting shelf 85.. The tube is preferably vulcanized to the central medial line portion of this shelf so that it isheld properly in position. The upper part of the tube likewise may be vulcanized or otherwise secured to the central medial line portion of a further plate '86. The two plates 85 and 86 are each provided with streamlined walls 81 and 88 which are so shaped that the stock iiow may pass the valve without too great a turbulence caused by the valve construction. The inatable rubber valve 80 is thus arranged to be moved only laterally by the fluid pressure close to or into contact with two suitably shaped valve seats 80 projecting inwardly from the sloping walls 92 of the stock entrance chamber. In this construction, the entire regulation of the stock flow is effected by the fluidipressuref comingfthrougli' the pipe 8|, and the stock flow vmay be either cut down to a desired extent or it may been- -tirely cut off by a ,proper manipulation of they valve 83 and the resultant inflation or deilation of the rubber tube 80. t.

The operation of each of the above described constructions will be readily apparent. The -wire screen on which the paper web is laid.

without either converging or diverging. crosswise of the wire and thus is in a non-turbulent and quiet condition so that the stock .lays in substantially. the same manner throughout the entire width of the web. The stock inlet pipe 24 feeds into a chamber 28 which expands to substantially the full Width of the wire and the inlet conduit approaching the same, and the valve is substantially as long as the width of the conduit so that when the stock has passed the valve it may ow to the wire screen in a nondivexging stream or one of substantially uniform width. Of course, some latitude is permitted as to the length of the valve opening depending upon its distance from the wire screen and the shape of the passage beyond the valve. However, in accordance with this invention, this valve passage is long and narrow and substantially as long as the width of the conduit, and

the valve is so arranged that it `doesnot createv any serious turbulent condition in the stock. Also, the valve bar or the inflatable tube is either` cylindrical or streamlined at its sides so that the stock may pass quietly and smoothly through lthe valve opening. Similarly the supports 68 and 81 of Figs. 6 and 8 are streamlined to aid this condition.

Due -to local conditions in a given paper making machine construction, it is often found that the stock tends to flow unevenly, such as more toward one end of the screen than the other thereof.` In order to -provide the papermaker with an opportunity for changing this condition, we have arranged the valve construction so that either the valve or the valve seat may -be locally flexed to permit opening or closing thev passage at any given point. The adjustment mechanism of Figs. 3 vand 4 permits exing the valve seats to any desired condition relative'to -the valve, and then the flexed member may be moved bodily without changing its initial curved conditionV so as to cause more or less stock to ilow through that peculiarly shaped valve opening. That double adjustment construction of' Figs. 3 and 4 may be employed with the adjustable valve of Figs. 1 and 2 so that the bar 30 may be ilexed to any given shapeand thenv moved bodily as a whole and without changing that shape. 'I'his makes it unnecessary for the paper maker to make the fine adjustments required for flexing the bar each time that he opens or closes the valve.

In the constructions of Figs. 5 to 8, the inflation of the flexible valve tube'serves either for entirely stopping the stock flow or for regulating the volume of stock that escapes pastv the valve. The arrangement of Figs. 5 and 6 is such that the flexible slice plates may be set in any desired position to control locally the flow of stock and then the inflatable tube 60 will make propercontact' with those plates or seats 10 when duly inated and irrespective of theflexed condition of the seat.

It will now be appreciated that numerous modifications mayl be made in this construction which are substantially as long -as the width of the conduit, and mechanism associated therewith forflexing the valve relative to the valveVV seats so as to control the flow of stock locally.

3. In a .paper making machine having `a movable wire screen on which a paper web is laid, av

pulp stock ilow controlling mechanism compris-- ing walls forming a conduit which is substantially as wide. as said screen and is arranged to cause the paper stock to ilow in a stream of substantially uniform -width directly to the screen,

two lateral valve seats in said conduit vand a long narrow flexible valve engageable with said seats, said valve being substantially as long as the width of the conduit, and mechanism comt prising rods connected to the valve at spaced intervals for flexing the same and controlling the 'stock flow locally and for moving the valve relative to the seats to regulate the volume ow.

4, In a paper making machine having a movable wire screen on which a paper web is laid, a pulp stock flow controlling mechanism vcomprising walls forming a conduit which causes the paper stock to flow directly to the screen, two valve seats inl said conduit and a movable elongated flexible valve, push and pull rods connectand that it may be applied in various locations and constructional arrangements on the various types of paper making machines used in the industry. Hence, the above description is to be interpreted as illustrating the general principles of this invention and as describing our preferred embodiments thereof and not as 'limitations on the invention, except as is set forth in the appended'claims.

We claim:

1. In a paper making machine having a movable wire-screen on which a paper web is laid, a pulp stock now controlling mechanism, comprising walls forming a conduit which is substantially as wide as the widthof the screenv and is arranged to cause the paper-stock to ow directly to the screen in a stream of substantially uniform width, a-valve and associated valve seats at the entrance #to said conduit which are substantially as long as is the width of said screen, one of said parts being ilexible, and means for causing relative movement of the valve and seats to open and close the valve passage and for flexingy said flexible valve part sage of .the stock.

2. In a paper making machine .having `a movablewire screen on which a` paper web is laid, a. pulp stock flow controlling mechanism comprising walls forming la' conduit which causes the paper stock to ilow directly to the surface of the screen in a stream of substantially uniformwidth, a movable flexible valve and associated valve seats at the entrance to said conduit ed -at spaced intervals to the valve, means associated with said rods for-moving them simultaneously to move the valve toward and from the seats, and cooperating mechanism for individually adjusting a rod to flex the valve and provide a localized control of the stock flow.

5. In a paper making machine having a movy able wire screen on which a paper web is laid, a pulp stock flow controlling mechanism comprising walls forming aconduit which causes the paper stock to flow substantially directly and in a non-diverging streamto the screen, an,elon, gated valve which is substantially as long as 4the width of said conduitv and two valve seats associated therewith for controlling or stopping the stock flow, at least one of said valve seats beingV flexible, and means associated therewithy vfor flexing said fiexiblevalve seat relative -to the valve for controlling the stock flow, locally.

6. In a paper making machine having aV mov-V able wire screen on which a paper web is laid, `a pulp stock flow controlling mechanism comprising walls forminga wide conduitwhich causesV the paper stock yto flow substantially directly to the screen, an elongated valve in said conduit which is substantially-as long as the width of the conduit, vtwo valve seats associated therewith, at least one of the valve seats-being flexible, means for relatively moving-the valve and the valve seats from an open to a closed position, and associated mechanism for exing the flexible valve A seat tovprovide a localized control of stock flow.

'7. In a paper making machine having a movable wire screen on which a paper web is laid, a

" pulp stock flow controlling mechanism comprisso as to provide a localized-control of the pasing walls forming a wide conduit whichcauses the paper stock to flow substantially directly to the screen, .an elongated valve and `associated valve seats which are substantially as long as the width 'of .the conduit and serve to shut ofi' and to controlthe stock flow, mechanism including push and pull rods connected to one of the valve parts for flexing the same, andmechanism associated therewithfor moving all of the rods simultaneously. i

8. 'In a paper making machine having a movable wire `screen on which a paper web is laid, a pulp stock-ilowcontrolling mechanism comprising walls forming a wide conduit which leads the paper stock directly to the screen, an elongated valve and opposed valve seats in said con` duit which are substantially as long as is the Width of the conduit, said valve being a exible, hollow, iniiatable tube, means for supporting the valve tube near said seats and means associated therewith for expanding the tube to regulate the size of the passage between said valve and the valve seats and thereby control the stock ow.

9. In a paper making machine having a movable wire screen on which a paper web is laid, a pulp stock iiow controlling mechanism compris-l ing walls forming a wide conduit which causes the paper stock to ow substantially directly to the screen, an elongated narrow valve and two opposed substantially parallel valve seats in said conduit, the valve being a exible, hollow, ex

pandable tube and at least one of the seats being flexible, means for supporting the valve tube near said seats, means associated therewith for expanding the tube to regulate the size of the passage between said tube and the valve seats and thereby control the stock ow, and means forilexing the exible seat and thereby locally adjusting its distance from the valve tube. 10. In a paper making machine having a movable wire screen on which a paper web is laid, a pulpstock flow controlling mechanism'comprising walls forming a conduit which is substantially as wide as said screen and is arranged to cause the paper stock to iiow in a substantially non-diverging non-turbulent stream to the screen, an elongated valve insaid conduit which extends substantially the ventire Width thereof,

two opposed valve seats associated therewith for controlling the stock flow, the valve being a flexible, inflatable, hollow tube, a support for holding the valve tube in posi-tion, and means-including a valved pipe connected to introduce a regulatable amount of uld under pressure to .said

` tube and cause it to move relative to the seat.

said support 'being shaped and arranged so as not to materially affect the streamlined 110W of the stock to the wire screen.

` EVERE'I'I W. CLEM.

J. WARREN VEDDER. 

